Ideas for Mothers Who Refuse to be Domesticated!

September 11, 2007

Now that Baby X is too big for the Baby Bjorn and too heavy for me to just carry around while I work, I've invested in two new carriers - one for the hip and one that can either be used as a front or back carrier. So far I don't like either one very much.

The front/back carrier is OK for long trips (like a walking-around day trip somewhere) but is so complicated to get on and off that it takes longer to do small things (like grocery shopping) when I use it than when I don't. Clearly this is not helpful. Not to mention that I usually have to get my husband to help strap Baby X into it!

Still it's better than the hip carrier. This one just makes me feel stupid. I can't seem to figure it out. Oddly there's only one buckle and two adjustable straps. You'd think that would make it a smooth and simple gadget. Wrong! For example, when I put the "hips strap" around my hips, Baby X sags to my thighs, but when I put the strap around my waist I have to pull her in close to my body which just makes her try to squirm her way out. No matter how I adjust the shoulder strap, where I put the "hip strap", or how tightly/loosely I make it all, Baby X still looks incredibly uncomfortable and all of her weight feels like it's on my neck. Seriously, the thing makes me feel like a moron.

So, what's a busy Mom to do? Aside from becoming a super-strong body builder, I'm stumped. I was so excited when I bought these new travel companions, but after using them (or trying to use them) a couple times and frustrating the crap out of myself, my husband, and Baby X I'm at a loss. Maybe someone else can suggest a good solution?

I need: A carrier for babies between 18 and 30(?) pounds that won't make me feel achy after fifteen minutes and is quick/easy to take on and off. Really now, is that too much to ask for?!

June 21, 2007

I know what you are thinking...No Kidding It's Bad! Who would ever use salted water instead of fresh water to make their baby's bottles?!

Well, let me tell you, I did. By accident. Last night. And as a result I didn't get home from the hospital until earlier this afternoon.

How in Google's name did I manage to do that without realizing it? To start, my house has a water softening system to keep the water pipes clear of calcium buildup that uses huge salt tabs. The idea is for the salt to dissolve very slowly over time, with only minimal amounts in the actual water...

But, the system messed up, and instead dumped ALL the salt into the water system AT ONCE! So, last night I happily went about my routine just like usual. I made my daughter's bottle using the water from the sink, ran it through a Britta filtering jug, and proceeded to feed her and put her to bed.

About twenty minutes later my husband comes in, takes a sip of water from the same jug, and practically spits it back out all over the floor. "Where'd you get this water?!" He screeched like I'd done it on purpose. It didn't take long to realize that my daughter had just consumed a bottle of extremely salty water with her formula!

Needless to say, I freaked out a bit. I jumped online to search for the effects of salt on infants, and freaked out even more when I found this and this. Two different cases of accidental baby deaths as a result of salt?!! Seizures? Brain Damage? Death?!

We called our local poison control center to confirm the dangers (or to make ourselves feel better if things weren't as bad as they seemed), and they told us to bring her to the emergency room since we didn't know exactly how much salt she ingested, and that yes, it could be very very bad.

Off we zoomed to the hospital. To make one of the longest nights of my life short, one blood test, one intravenous drip, and 12 hours of crying/no-sleep later, we came home with a clean bill of health! Apparently she didn't consume enough salt to have been dangerous.

RELIEF!!!

Lessons Learned:

*Taste baby's bottle before feeding. (I knew to test it for temperature, but salty water was not a concern until now!)

*Two irritated/sick babies in one room will result in no sleep at all, ever. (I had to "share" a room for the night with another Mommy/baby and ended up sitting in a hallway chair instead long enough to watch the sun come way, way up.)

*Don't rely on baby to fuss if something tastes different/bad/unusual. (My daughter didn't bat an eyelash as she drank her disgusting-tasting bottle! Apparently it was yum-yum-yummy to her.)

*Better to be Safe...(Than Sorry. Sure we've all heard this before, but this phrase has stuck for so long because it's true. Everything turned out fine in the end, but I would've never forgiven myself if we hadn't gone to the hospital. Taking chances with my daughter's life is not up for debate.)

Ahhh, now here's a smart idea! We all know babies love love love swinging themselves to blissful oblivion and that automatic swings are really a perfect busy-mom device. I can't tell you how much "putting to sleep" time I've saved by gently snuggling Baby X into her swing and letting nature take its course.

This gizmo, however, seems to be even more convenient because a car seat can click right into position. The official description says it was designed because:

Although the swing itself doesn't seem to come with as many swing speeds as many others (this one has two and the one I have, for example, has eight...But I always wondered just how necessary an eight speed swing was anyway...), it still comes with music, vibration, and nature sounds. This model wins hands down for portability and convenience though!

Also, as far as I can tell, you don't specifically need a Graco brand car seat for it to work, any Infant SafeSeat car seat will do. Overall, very cool product that could be a lifesaver for parents who travel a lot and who can't always arrange activities around defined "nap times."

June 09, 2007

If you thought understanding adults was hard, try understanding babies! For example, is the exploratory/aggressive behavior described below really affection in disguise?

I can't even count the amount of times every day that Baby X digs her teeny razor-like nails into me, or yanks some hair out from the roots, or smacks me as hard as she can. Granted she is only seven months old, and this is all very normal. But what exactly is she doing?

I think she's just testing her limits to see how strong she is. How hard can I pinch? What does it feel like? Hmmm, this stringy stuff is interesting, let me grab a handful and tug it to see what happens...Of course, not in those exact words.

But the oddest thing is when she tries to "eat" me. She'll push herself back and then throw her face, wide open mouth, against my cheek or chin or shoulder, whatever is closest. Then she'll hold herself there for a couple seconds like she doesn't know what her next move should be.

In the same way, she'll grab my cheeks and try to pull my face to her waiting open mouth. Seriously, like she's trying to eat me. Like she does with her other toys. Yes I know babies explore everything via their mouths at this point, so I think the whole thing is pretty funny.

But, I've been reading some "Mom" message boards, and many of them seem to believe this is their baby's clumsy way of trying to "kiss" them. Hmmm, never thought of that. Really, they're trying to kiss us? With a big open mouth? The same way they try to "kiss" all their other toys, the floor, the sofa?

Maybe I'm wrong, and Baby X is actually displaying some genuinely affectionate behavior...But I doubt it. I think she's just exploring me the way she explores everything else in her environment.

Any of you other Moms out there want to chime in and tell us how you interpreted this quirky behavior?

June 07, 2007

I don't really like "baby" clothes. I like fun clothes that look like adult clothes with maybe just a hint of "cutesy" about it. I'd more likely put my daughter in a Punk Rock outfit than a frilly pink dress.

Grant it I think they'd be just a little bit funnier if they said something like "My Mom's A Nut" or "Come Here I've Got Something For You" on the butt...But these are good too.

They have the added value of you getting to enjoy the confused looks of people as they try to figure them out. BONUS laughs if they can't! (Seriously, they are NOT that hard!)

Apparently these shirts have just been launched by this company that makes an adult-oriented pictionary-like game that's supposed to be fun, and are using these as a promotion. I've never played it, but the reviews are good.

You know what that means? If you want to be truly dorky you can buy the same shirt in your size. Yep, you can dress alike and have double the strange looks. Or, if you prefer, skip the baby clothes altogether and just buy the one for you.

Like I said, I enjoy non-baby baby clothes...But it'll be a sad day when I look at my daughter's outfit and wish it were mine instead!

So far, my favorite's the first one in black for a baby boy, or a lesbian baby girl.